IC Contact

[untiltheend]

This is Sebastian Michaelis. I am unavailable at present, but please leave a message. Should a response be needed I will reply when time permits me. Please do keep your message brief.

Comments

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[At Jedao's second statement, however, Sebastian's expression changes to one of confusion, completely with a raised eyebrow.

They've spoken all of... three times? Now, Sebastian is perfectly used to people being charmed by him instantly, but that's when he's intentionally turning on the charm. Something which he seldom does at the Barge.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

You could always just pick one. They say you don't really understand something until you can teach it, after all.

[Jedao smiles back blithely. If Sebastian has questions about Jedao liking him, he is welcome to ask.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[A light scoff. His thoughts immediately go to Johann...]

That would be one way to pass the time, I suppose.

Take you usually so quickly to people? [Especially when said people are... not in the best mood most of the time?]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I do, actually. I'm...normally quite good at getting a sense of someone's character. And I know what I like.

[Even if his standards are...abnormal.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Dear me. Such peculiar tastes you must have, in that case.

[He doesn't say it in a self-disparaging way; he says it in a "I'm well aware I'm ornery and prickly with wardens and don't much pretend to be a good person and I make it very clear I hate all of you" way.]

Aside from Wardens I work with, I do not believe I tend to, mm, endear myself to the vast majority of you.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

[Jedao shrugs and grins.]

You're clever, self-disciplined, and not a hypocrite. You're mean in the fun way at least some of the time, and the way you use formality is...refreshingly familiar. I enjoy spending time with you, and your scrutiny forces me to stay sharp.

And I don't care if that makes me terribly peculiar.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[...Hmm. Please do continue listing Sebastian's admirable qualities. It's very enjoyable to hear. He appreciates that Jedao doesn't rush to insist that wardens do like him and that he's not mean.]

Is that so. [The polite thing, at this point, would be to offer traits he himself appreciates in Jedao, but we're not doing that.] Might it be that you come from some type of high society, then?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I don't know how neatly faction society would map onto Earth high society. But I suspect there are...certain parallels.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[Curiously:]

"Faction society", is it?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Mm. Everything is quite beautiful, and rank is...meaningful. But it's more professional than aristocratic, in the factions I was...among.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

What rank had you? If I may ask.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

When I was among the army, I was given the rank of General, but I hadn't earned it; that role was based on the lie that I was another person, whom I was only pretending to be, which is one of the reasons I so dislike it. Later, I was granted the role of Instructor, as you know. I didn't arrive to it by the...traditional path, but I do feel as though I did the work, that the title is more meaningfully my own. As an Instructor, and a very junior one, I had something of a middling rank - I could expect deference from cadets and infantry and analysts, but I owed more respect to most higher-level operatives, handlers, supervisors and so on.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[Hmmm.]

I will say: although military rankings have their similarities to those of high society, they at least are based in some measure of competence rather than simple birth right. If I may, if you have indeed done the work, I believe the title of Instructor should be accurate, formalities aside.